The Ravens are 10 games into the season and have posted a 5-5 record, but thanks to a down year in the AFC North, they still sit atop the division because of tiebreakers. While the Steelers play on Thanksgiving, the Ravens will play the only team in the division they have not yet faced, the Cincinnati Bengals. Baltimore has had significant struggles against the Bengals in the team’s recent history, losing 5 straight to the division rivals, often in heart-breaking fashion. While the Bengals have been a thorn in the Ravens side in the past, the 2016 season has been a down year for Cincinnati They have an anemic 3-6-1 record, and have recently lost two of their top playmakers on offense to injuries in All-Pro WR AJ Green and RB Gio Bernard. What will the Ravens need to do in order to bounce back at home and maintain their lead in the AFC North?
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Last week, the Ravens defense had a strong start out of the gate against the NFL’s hottest team, the Dallas Cowboys. However, the defense could not get off the field in the second half as Dallas’ elite OL gave QB Dak Prescott incredible pass protection and he took advantage. Fortunately for the Ravens, pass protection has been a major issue for the Bengals this season and QB Andy Dalton has struggled while under duress taking 29 sacks. Without Green and Bernard, the Bengals will likely attempt to lean on their RB Jeremy Hill and the rushing attack with TE Tyler Eifert becoming the top receiving target for Dalton. The Ravens defense was stout even against the top rated Dallas Cowboys, so if the Bengals attempt to ride Hill it will likely work in Baltimore’s favor. Dean Pees generally relies on zone coverage concepts to limit opposing receivers, but this might be a week where we see more man to man with the Bengals lackluster WR corps. Man coverage will allow for more blitzing and pressuring Dalton will be key for the Ravens.
The Ravens offense has been a struggle all season. The OL has been banged up leading to major pass protection problems and no consistent push in the running game. Seemingly every week there are flashes of efficient offense, but poor line play and penalties have been drive killers this season, and the Bengals will pose a real challenge for the Ravens. The Bengals defensive line is led by All Pro DT Geno Atkins, one of the best interior pass-rushers in the NFL and DEs Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap are very talented players in their own right. Marty Mornhinweg will need to get back to the running game to slow down the Bengals pass-rush, and considering the Bengals struggles in stopping the run this season there will be no reason to abandon it. I would also expect a heavy dose of play action passing to take advantage of an overly aggressive Bengals LB corps. If the Ravens offense can avoid penalties and stay patient with the run, it should pay dividends in the long run.
I do not expect many points to be put on the board in this game. The Bengals offense is depleted and the Ravens have not put up many points all season. A defensive struggle generally favors the team with the better defense, and so far this season the Ravens have had one of the best defenses in the NFL. Baltimore is catching a break facing the Bengals when they are missing key players on offense, and in order to keep any playoff hopes alive this is a must win game. I think they will be able to take advantage of a struggling Bengals team and come out on top.
Ravens 20 – Bengals 13
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.